US-Israeli strain over raid on Iraq lifted, envoy says

July 15, 1981

Special US envoy Robert McFarlane left for Washington Tuesday after meetings with Prime Minister Menachem Begin, which he said had helped clear US-Israeli relations strained by the June 7 attack on the Osirak reactor near Baghdad.

"Any misunderstanding which might have arisen in the wake of the Israeli operation has been clarified . . .," he said.

The White House said no decision had been made on the delivery of four F-16 planes, suspended after the raid. But an Israeli Foreign Ministry official said the aircraft, and six other s due for delivery, could be expected to leave the US Friday